Navantia Building on Major Projects in Cadiz

April 03, 2019

On the docket in Cadiz at Navantia are two huge conversions for Carnival Cruise Line, turning the Triumph into the Sunrise and the Victory into the Radiance, according to Ramon de Lara, commercial manager.

Other big jobs this year in Cadiz include projects for Royal Caribbean and ResidenSea.

Navantia has become among the key yards for major refits, as the Mariner of the Seas was completely re-done in early 2018 to the tune of $125 million before repositioning into the short cruise market in South Florida.

“Due to the nature of the cruise business and the necessary planning to market specific itineraries, cruise ships usually have a good feel for where they will be operating 18 to 24 months in advance,” said de Lara. “This allows them more time to plan and book in advance. For some revitalization projects, booking 24 to 30 months in advance is not uncommon.

“At this stage, it is really hard to define what exactly a ‘typical’ cruise ship drydocking is anymore,” he continued. “While most new ships enter the market with all of the contemporary conveniences and amenities, by the time a ship is 10 years old, its offerings are typically growing obsolete compared to newer innovations, and it will need to undergo a revitalization in order to stay competitive.”

Thus, while the first handful of drydockings in a ship’s life are routine, as the ship gets older, the drydockings grow in scale.

For Navantia, planning for more routine jobs start a year in advance, while the bigger projects could start 24 months out, de Lara said.

“To us, it is all about proper planning. Understanding all of the project requirements and making a realistic execution plan well in advance is key.”

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